ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 1990 ^^^^^^ NEVER RELEASED OFFICIAL TI MODULES: ^^^^^^^^^^PART 2 - EDUCATIONAL MODULES ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^by Charles Good ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lima Ohio User Group TI had alot of irons in the fire when they suddenly stopped production of the 99/4A in 1983. A number of in house command modules were ready for production, and third parties under license from TI were writing their own module software. The first part of this series described never released, or released to only limited circulation, utility and productivity software. Part 3 will describe entertainment module software. This article describes educational modules for elementary and high school levels. Many of the non-math modules have two parts, a learning part with alot of text to read and a game part that is based on what you have learned from the text. As far as I know none of the modules described in this article have ever been offered for sale. A video tape demonstration of all the modules described in this article is available from us to any user group that sends a VHS tape and paid return mailer, or $5. NUMBER BOWLING Copyright 1983 by Scott Foresman. This module teaches decimals and fractions and can be used by 1 or 2 players. A question appears in the lower third of the screen, and an on screen timer starts. You type the answer and then press . Maximum 10 points are awarded (a strike) if you answer within 2 seconds. For each additional two seconds you lose a point. If it takes you over 10 seconds to the correct answer you get 5 points. On the right side of the screen is the bowling lane. When you press the ball is released and knocks over pins for your score, the longer you take to answer the fewer pins are knocked down. The score is displayed in bowling "frame" style in the upper left of the screen. You are given two chances to come up with the correct answer. After the second wrong answer, the correct answer is displayed and the bowling ball rolls down the gutter for zero pins. There are three levels of play, AMATEUR, PRO, and CHAMPION. The difficulty of the questions increases with each level, but the "points per second" as described above remains the same at all levels. Two AMATEUR questions are: "Write the decimal seventy nine and seven tenths," and "Which is greater, 97.64 or 84.835?"^^An example of a CHAMNPION question is "Write the decimal twenty eight ten thousanths." Answers always require typing numerals and the decimal point. I find it almost impossible to get an answer typed and ed within 2 seconds for the maximum 10 points. This module is not particularly sophisticated. It teaches only by indicating correct and incorrect answers (where it then displays the correct answer). Unlike many other TI modules, including MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION described in this article, the software does not really show HOW to solve the questions. AN INTRODUCTION TO PLANT GENETICS Copyright 1984 by Texas Instruments. This module uses the garden pea to illustrate basic genetic principals by describing experiments done by of the father of modern genetics, Gregor Mendle. Speech is an option. Since I am an Associate Professor of Botany and teach introductory genetics to college freshman, I am qualified to give expert commentary about the scientific and educational merits of this software. The first menu gives these choices, the first two of which are text and graphics to be learned and the third of which is a game: Press 1 for What is genetics. ^^^^^^2 for How does it work. ^^^^^^3 for The Mendelian maze. The first choice, #1, defines and/or illustrates each of the following vocabulary words. Each is pronounced if SPEECH is available, and the student has the opportunity to hear each word pronounced as many times as necessary: Botany^^^^^Heredity^^Genetics^^Traits^^^Dominant Recessive^^Phenotype^Genotype^^Genes^^^^Chromosomes Cytosine^^^Guanine^^^Thymine^^^Adenine^^Mitosis Interphase^Prophase^^Metaphase^Anaphase^Telophase Deoxyribonucleic acid. I find the definitions of Phenotype (trait that can be seen), and Genotype (traits, whether they can be seen or not) confusing although probably not actually wrong. I wouldn't define these two words this way to my own students. Choice #2 briefly mentions Gregor Mendle and illustrates some of the monohybrid cross genetic experiments Mendle did with peas. Punnet squares are used to show the genetic combinations (genotypes) of the offspring. I take great exception to the genetic notation used in the software. The module uses "X" for a dominant gene and "Y" for the corresponding recessive gene (allele). This is not the standard genetic notation used in all the text books. In standard notation, a capital letter is used for a dominant gene and the same small case letter for the corresponding recessive gene. Also, in standard genetic notation the letters "X" and "Y" are used in genetic problems involving sex linkage to designate the sex chromosomes of animals. Students studying the genetics chapter of any introductory biology textbook (high school or college) will be very confused by the use of "X" and "Y" in this software. In its presentation of Punnet squares, the software sometimes refuses to accept some of the possible correct answers. This may be due to incomplete debugging of this never released module. Choice #3 is a maze game. You enter Mendel's garden, the Mendelian Maze, and locate the four pea plants that are the offspring of the monohybrid mating shown at the top of the screen. Move through the maze, position the cursor over each of the offspring, and press the fire button. There are lots of other pea plants in the garden that are not offspring of the displayed mating. If you guess wrong you have to start over. When all four correct peas are marked, the secret exit of the maze opens and you can move there and get out. I suspect that during most its development this software was not reviewed by a university professor. I can understand why it was not released in its present form. PETER PAN'S SPACE ODYSSEY The title screen says "WALT DISNEY PERSONAL COMPUTER SOFTWARE DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS COMPUTER. Broken 1986 by the Master." What I have available to me is a group of EA5 files that only work with a supercart, or with a GramKracker (loader on, bank 1 on, EA module in grams 5&&6), or possibly a Geneve. I suspect that the actual copyright is 1984. I have no idea who "the Master" is. This module teaches about the planets of the solar system, including facts about each planet and the relative location of the planets with respect to each other. Music graphics and speech are all used superbly. The first menu gives these choices: 1- Planet Chart^^^^2- Game. Pressing #1 you are given the choice of learning about the inner planets or the outer planets. These two sub menus give you the opportunity to read information about each planet, one planet at a time. It is a good idea to take notes because you need this information in order to play the game. Information presented is appropriate for junior high school or high school science classes. Pressing #2 starts the game. Wendy says, "Help, help Peter Pan, help!"^^Captain Hook's ship arrives and carries Wendy off into space while the captain says, "You shall never find her Peter Pan."^^Peter Pan appears and replies, "Just you wait and see." Captain Hook is going to move Wendy around from planet to planet. Peter Pan is given a clue to Wendy's current location and must fly to that planet. Often, by the time Peter Pan arrives at the correct planet Wendy has been moved to another planet. There are four levels of play with higher levels requiring Peter Pan to visit more planets before he finally catches up with and rescues Wendy. Clues include such phrases as "HAS KNOWN BIOSPHERE" and "STRONGEST MAGNETIC FIELD". A graphic of the inner or outer planets orbiting the sun is shown. These two groups of planets are separated by the asteroids, which Peter Pan must fly through without getting hit in order to reach the other group of planets. Peter Pan flys to the orbit of the appropriate planet (joy sticks or arrow keys) and presses the fire button (or "Q") when he is over the planet. If he is correct he says "Got it!". An incorrect choice causes Peter Pan to say, "I'd better try again," or "The right one must be here someplace." Flying through the asteroid belt between the inner and outer planets is dangerous. Peter Pan is allowed four asteroid hits before the game ends without rescuing Wendy. Excellent bit map pictures of Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, and Tinker Bell are shown at various points in the game. Unlike PLATO educational software for the TI, this module makes supurb use of all the 99/4A's bells and whistles (music, bit map color graphics, and speech). The game is easy to win IF you know your planetary facts. I give PETER PAN a high rating. VON DRAKE'S MOLECULAR MISSION This is another Walt Disney "designed exclusively for the Texas Instruments Computer" module with a copyright 1984 date on the title screen. As with Peter Pan, there is excellent use of bit map color graphics, music, and speech. This module is an aid in learning aspects of introductory high school chemistry. What I have available to me are a series of GramKracker module files that occasionally locks up the computer or refuses to accept correct input. Apparently the software was not fully debugged when Walt Disney withdrew from the TI computer market. You are in Professor Ludwig von Drake's chemistry laboratory and have a supply of forceps to manipulate pieces of chemicals. You must open the forceps and grab stuff with the open end. If you bump things with closed forceps or bump the wrong end of open forceps you lose the forceps and von Drake says, "Lost another one."^^When you lose all your forceps, or run out of time, the game is over. As time progresses the temperature on the displayed thermometer increases and Von Drake says, "Hmmm, things are heating up in here" in a German accent. The main menu gives these choices, each of which has a beginning, intermediate, and advanced level. Increasing levels of difficulty present more difficult chemical problems for solution. The starting number of forceps and the time allowed to solve the problem are the same at all difficulty levels. 1- Reading Chemical Formulas 2- Forming Compounds 3- Balancing Chemical Equations From item #1 you are shown several kinds of atoms and their corresponding oxidation/reduction (valence) numbers. You have to make the simplest possible chemical compound from all the displayed kinds of atoms by grabbing the appropriate number of each kind of atom and dumping the atoms into the reaction pot. When the correct number of atoms are in the pot, you light the burner under the pot and cook the atoms into the compound. At this point you find out if you are correct. Pressing #2 from the main menu displays several kinds of atoms and their oxidation/reduction numbers. Some of these atoms will not react with each other. You have to pick the correct number of atoms that will react with each other and make the simplest possible compound, as described for #1 above. This is harder than #1 because you have to know which atoms you can and can't combine to make compounds. In #3 you are shown a chemical balance and a chemical equation of the form chemical1 + chemical2 --> chemical3 + chemical4. You have to put the correct number of each chemical on the correct side of the balance so that the same number of atoms will be on each side of the chemical equation. You chase sprite numbers with your forceps in order to do this. For example, N2 + F2 --> NF3 requires ONE molecule of N2 and THREE molecules of F2 on one side of the balance, and TWO molecules of NF3 on the other side of the balance. At higher difficulty levels, some of these "to be balanced" equations can be quite tricky. If you run out of time or cook the wrong stuff in the reaction pot the computer is also supposed to give an animated display of the correct answer, but in the files I have you get a lockup instead. I would give this module high marks if it worked properly. Even as it is, one can learn alot of chemistry by playing around in Von Drake's laboratory. VERB VIPER The title screen says, "Copyright 1982 DLM Inc.^and Texas Instruments Inc."^^ Several authors are listed from the University of Kansas. This module is by the same folks that brought us DEMOLITION DIVISION, DRAGON MIX, WORD RADAR and other educational command modules for the TI. I don't know why VERB VIPER was never released. It is as well done as the other DML modules that were marketed. Joysticks are optional. Speech is not used. VERB VIPER teaches subject verb agreement. You control a snake (viper) in a boat, the SS VIPER. A noun is displayed at the base of the boat and a series of verbs float toward the viper. When the correct verb approaches its mouth (agreeing with the subject in number and tense) you open the viper's mouth with the fire button. The viper sticks out his long tongue and eats the verb. Nouns and verbs change rapidly and there is alot of action. You have to think fast! Points are awarded for eating the correct verbs and not eating the incorrect ones. You can set the following before play begins: SPEED at which verbs float towards the viper: CONTENT OPTION, categories of nouns and verbs: DIFFICULTY LEVEL within each content option: RUNTIME in minutes before score is displayed: I enjoy playing VERB VIPER. It is an excellent combination of education and arcade action. GERM PATROL Copyright 1983 by Texas Instruments. Germ Patrol teaches about how to stay healthy and avoid pathogenic bacteria and viruses. There is no music or speech, and only limited use of color. The mixture of graphics and text reminds me of some of the PLATO software that uses bit map graphics. The main menu gives you these choices: 1- Learning about germs. 2- Fighting germs. Choosing #1 gives you a long mostly text lesson. The main themes are that to avoid nasty germs it is a good idea to brush your teeth regularly, wash your skin regularly (particularly open cuts), and avoid sneezing in someone's face. When sneezing, germs should be trapped in tissue. During the lesson you are given the opportunity to practice the games of part 2. Choosing #2 allows you to play three games. In one, you seal an open wound with a moving red blood cell, forming a blood clot. The clot prevents entry of germs into the wound. In another game you wash your skin with soap suds and prevent nasty germs from entering the pores of your skin. Finally, you are given the opportunity to hold a tissue over your face and catch the incoming (why not outgoing from a sneeze?) germs within the folds of a tissue. The best single word to descrive GERM PATROL is BORING. The games are simplistic and the action is sloooow. The text, though correct, is over simplified. There is alot more to avoiding bacterial and viral infections than skin washing and tooth brushing. For example, proper food handling and storage as well as avoiding contaminating (or contaminated) drinking water are also important. I certainly can understand why GERM PATROL was never marketed. E.T. IN HIS ADVENTURE AT SEA This is also known as ET AT SEA. The title screen says "Developed by Looking Glass (TM), copyright 1983 Texas Instruments." This is my personal favorite among the education modules described in this article. You learn about geograhy. The screen displays a mercater projection of a world map, very well done! Four cities coastal cities are indicated, one of which is flashing. E.T. is in his boat somewhere on the map and must be sailed to the flashing city using the joysticks or WERSDZXC keys. ET's space ship is at one of these cities and at each city he is given a clue to the space ship's location. While sailing, ET must avoid hurricanes, icebergs, waterspouts, and lightning. There are three different levels of play. At successive levels the above nasties get more and more aggressive. If ET is zapped by a nasty 4 times the game is over. As ET sailes around the map and changes hemospheres or enters a new ocean the hemosphere or ocean name is displayed on the screen. I find it a little disconcerting that you can't sail west off the left side of the screen and reappear to the east on the right side of the screen. Last time I heard, the world was still round. When ET reaches whichever city is currently flashing and presses the fire button (or "Q"), the name of the city and its country are displayed. Possible cities (only four are displayed on the map for any game) include: Calcutta India^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Sydney Australia Djakarta Indonesia^^^^^^^^^^^^Tokyo Japan Shanghai China^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hilo hawaii Godthaab Greenland^^^^^^^^^^^^Anchorage Alaska St.^John's Newfondland^^^^^^^^Los Angeles California Lima Peru (not Ohio)^^^^^^^^^^Rio De Janeiro Brazil Havana Cuba^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Managua Nicaragua Reykjavik Iceland^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lagos Nigeria Cape Town South Africa^^^^^^^^Liverpool England Lisbon Portugal^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Marseille France Once ET docks at a port he is given a clue about the location of his space ship in the form of a multiple choice question. Examples are: IMAGINARY LINE OF LATITUDE ABOUT 23 DEGREES SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR (answer- Tropic of Capricorn), and PART OF A SEA THAT STRETCHES INTO LAND (answer- Bay). The answer to the question is a clue to ET's space ship location. Once a clue is given another city starts flashing and ET must sail to this city to collect the next clue about the location of his space ship. At any time the player can try to guess the correct city. If the city is correctly guessed, ET then needs to sail to that city, always on the lookout for nasties on the high seas. Once in the correct city, ET finds himself in the city's harbor. He must collect all the red buoys in the harbor and avoid various harbor obstacles (eels, tugboats, waves, etc.). Once the buoys are collected ET can sail to the far end of the harbor where his space ship awaits and take off into space for the ride home. This is a delightful game to play. The graphics are excellent, and the music adds a nice touch. Repeated plays teach alot about the geographic locations of strange cities and countries, and you become familiar with hemospheres, ocean names, and many other geographic terms. Kids from the middle grades to university professors can learn from ET's adventure. MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION 2 Copyright 1983 by Scott Foresman. Scott Foresman also produced the module MULTIPLICATION 1 which was widely marketed. MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION is a supurb example of how speech and the computer's video can be used to teach mathematics. Guided by speech and the visual displays, most students can walk their way through any of the concepts taught. A little man called MIGHTY appears on screen at various times to help. This module does much more than just ask for the solution to a math problem and display the correct answer if the student answers incorrectly. Students are verbally and visually taken step by step through the solution of each problem. Each concept taught includes teaching examples where the computer does all the work and practice exercises. The main menu displays these options: 1- Multiplying 10 and 100 2- Multiples of 10 and 100 3- 2 && 3 digits X 1 digit 4- 2 digits with renaming 5- 3 digits with renaming 6- More than 1 renaming 7- Word problems 8- Reviewing it all. Option #1 teaches 1x10, 2x10, 3x10, etc. Option #2 teaches 5x5, 5x50, 5x500, etc. Options 3 through 6 are self explanitory. When I was in elementary school, we called it "carrying" rather than "renaming". With option #7 you are asked, "What speed do you want Mighty to go? 10-99." Then "How many hours does Mighty travel? 2-9." This sets up the problem, "Mighty travels xx mph for y hours. How far does Mighty travel?" The appropriate math is then displayed on the screen step by step. If I were teaching 5th grade math I would certainly want to use this module. As Barry Traver said in an interview at the 1989 Chicago Faire, "The computer can give students the individual attention they need. The computer never criticizes and never gets tired or distracted by other things." MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION 2 is an example of computer assisted instruction at its finest. .PL 1